Save the Polar Bears - Josh Bilker

SAVE THE POLAR BEARS!!

by Josh Bilker

(https://www.freevector.com/cute-polar-bears)

            Polar bears (or Ursus martimus if you want to get scientific) are dying. They need your help or they will join the sad ranks of other extinct species like the Dodo bird.

  First discovered in 1774, polar bears live all along the ice-covered waters of the Arctic Ocean. You may recognize your average polar bear from their signature white fur or maybe from the popular Coca-Cola commercials, but contrary to popular belief, a polar bear’s fur is clear. Polar bears are the largest land carnivores, growing to an average weight of 1,000(!) pounds. They have one of the lowest reproduction rate of any mammal, which also contributes to their endangerment. Once a cub is born the mother nurtures them until they are ready to go on their own. Here’s an interesting tidbit: the mother can go up to 8 months without being fed while raising the cubs, which many experts believe is the longest any animal can go without eating.

(http://starecat.com/polar-bears-on-floating-ice-sad-picture/)

            Unfortunately, the polar bears have not been doing well as of late, they were listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a threatened species in 2015. Polar bears are in serious trouble due to all our harmful greenhouse gases. Global warming is melting the ice caps, which just so happens to be the polar bear’s habitat. Experts believe the ice caps will be completely melted in just 100 (another !!!)  years at the rate they are going. Polar bears, and any other arctic species will be completely wiped out, and it will be our fault as humans. If that does not make you angry, I honestly don’t know what will.

(http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/take-action)

            So, I know what you’re thinking right now: “what is being done to save the polar bears?” and the answer to that is not exactly helpful. The USFWS are attempting to conserve polar bears by reducing atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases, spreading international awareness of the threat to the polar bears, managing human-bear conflicts, and conducting monitoring and research of the species. This might sound great on paper, but the fact remains that USFWS does not have the power to save polar bears on these actions alone. They cannot reduce greenhouse emissions with awareness alone. Which means it is up to us to save the polar bears.

            So now you are probably frantically searching through Google wondering how you can slow climate change, well, no need to hit up Google, let me break it down for you right here. The easiest way is just to recycle. 75% of America’s trash and we only recycle 30% of it, think of all that waste! If we could increase that 30% to 40% imagine all the good that could happen! Another way to reduce emissions is to conserve energy, that could be as simple as turning off the lights when you leave to switching to CFL light bulbs. There are many other ways to save the environment and if you are curious here is a link to plenty more options click here.

The polar bear population is declining — fast. There are estimated to be only 25,000 polar bears left in this world. It’s up to us to save the polar bears so act! Do you really want to be the generation that killed off another species? If you would like make a difference please donate here, and if you would like to know more about this problem, check out this great website.

(http://www.winnipegsun.com/2014/10/31/orphaned-polar-bear-cubs-have-names)

Thank you for Reading!